The two men talked together a little longer, but Tom wanted to hear all about Sue’s having been shut in the trunk, so Bunny and his sister took turns telling the story once more, while Tom listened eagerly.

“If I’d been there,” he cried as Sue finished, “I’d a given that trunk one kick and busted her clean open, Sue!  I wouldn’t have waited for no carpenter.”

One look at Tom’s big feet seemed to indicate that he could easily have “busted the trunk clean open.”

“But it was better to saw a little door, to make a kennel for Splash,” said Sue.  “Anyhow I wasn’t in there very long, and I could breathe a little.”

“Well, be careful about getting into trunks again,” said her mother, and Sue said she would.

The children played in the woods about the camp with Tom after supper, while Mr. and Mrs. Brown sat off to one side talking earnestly.

“I guess they’re talking about you,” said Sue.  “About your going away, Tom.”

“Well, I’m not going back to Mr. Bixby!” declared the lad.

“And we’re not going to let you!” cried Bunny.  “If he comes after you we’ll get in a boat and go down the lake and hide in that cave.  We’ll take something to eat with us, and some fish lines to catch fish, and we’ll cook ’em over a campfire and we’ll live in the big woods forever.”

“What’ll we do when Winter comes?” asked Sue.

“Oh, then daddy and mother will be back in the city and we can go and live with them,” replied her brother.

Early the next morning, while the children and Tom were having breakfast, Mr. Brown was seen setting off toward the village.

“Where are you going, Daddy?” cried Sue.

“Can’t you take us with you?” asked Bunny.

“No, I’m going off to see some of the townspeople—­the authorities—­the head of the poorhouse and others, to find out what right Mr. Bixby has to Tom.”

“Oh, if you’re going to help Tom that’s all right!” said Sue.  “We can have some games among ourselves, can’t we Bunny?” she added, turning to her brother.

“Yes, but I wish I had my electric train.”

“Well, you can play with the car you found in the hay,” said Sue.  “And then we’ve got to make that trunk-kennel for Splash.”

“Oh, so we have!” exclaimed Bunny.  “I forgot about that.  We’ll have some fun anyhow.”

“And I’ll help,” said Tom.  “Might as well have what fun I can if I have to go back to Mr. Bixby’s.”

“You won’t have to go back,” said Bunny.  “My father will fix it so you can stay with us.”

CHAPTER XXIV

THE NIGHT MEETING

Bunny and Sue, as soon as they had finished their breakfast, went down to the edge of the lake to play.  They wanted to go for a row, and Mrs. Brown had said they could if Tom was along, so there was no trouble this time.

Out on the water, where the sun was shining on the waves, Tom rowed the children.  Then Bunny brought out his fishing line and pole, baited the hook with some worms he had dug, and began to fish.